Mobilisation of an international Urban Search and Rescue team

Abstract

This project aims to create context surrounding the field of disaster management and the structures functioning within this specified field. This document aims to outline a detailed plan on assisting a Non-Governmental Organisation, Rescue South Africa, in improving its reaction time with regards to disaster response. Due to natural disasters becoming more powerful, it has a pronounced effect on people living in disaster prone areas. One of the critical phases of disaster management is the Response phase. This is the phase in which Rescue South Africa predominantly functions. This project will focus on the mobilisation phase of disaster response. Critical to mobilisation is securing a structured mobilisation plan, customised for the South African environment. Another crucial aspect of mobilisation is assembling the team with the correct competencies to respond to the unannounced disaster. Following this methodology, solutions are presented. In order to aid the development of the structured mobilisation plan, business process mapping is employed. A team composition strategy used for the selection of soccer players is utilised to select the best USAR technicians for a specified disaster scenario.